Machine for removing rails and extracting spikes



F. R. vmsow AND T. FITZPATRICK.

MACHINE FOR REMOVING RAILS AND EXTRACTING SPIKES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, I921.

La gg g 1 5 Patented Oct. 3, 1922.

2 HEETS-SHEET I.

I E/V 70/? Mason,

ATTORNEYS F. R. MASON AND T. FITZPATRICK. MACHINE FOR REMOVING RAILS AND EXTRACTING SPSKES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. I921. 1A3Q916 Patentefi 90%. 3, 1922.,

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

. TOHAIEYS Patented Get. 3, i922.

ire srarss 'PArEuToFFiE.

MACHINE non REMOVING RAILS nun nxrnaoml ncrsrmns.

Application filed June 2 9,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRED RAMSAY'MA" SON and THOMAS F i'rzrlrrnicn, citizens of the United States, v and residents of Ronan, in the county of Missoula and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Removing Rails and Extracting Spikes of which the following is a specification.

The presentinvention relates to machines for removing and taking up rails from railway tracks and extracting spikes, and has for its object to provide a machine of this character-which when drawn along by any available tractor such as a locomotive or the like, automatically lifts the rails from the ties or roadbed and extracts the spikes, which carries out this operation speedily and without distortion of the rails and which is in general of simple and durable construction reliable in operation and easy and inexpensive to manufacture and operate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the machine embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view in plan;

Figure 3 is a View in section, on line 3--;3 of Figure 2; i

Figure 4k is a similar view on line 44: of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a detail perspective'view of the combined shoe and spike holder employed at the forward end of the machine.

Referring to the drawings wherein for the sake of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of the inventiomthe numeral 1O designates the combined rail lifters and spike extractors which are of identical construction and each of which includes a pair of channel irons 11, the channel irons being arranged in parallel relation to each other and havingfltheir lateral flanges'extending away from each other, as shown in Figure 4. The channel irons of each lifter and extractor and the lifters and extractors themselves are connected with each other and organized into a unitary machine by means of cross bars 12 and crossbraces- 18 1921. SerialNo. 481,360.

extending between and secured to the channelbars as clearly illustrated in Figure 2. A pairof lifter bars 15' is carried by each palr of channel bars 11, the lifter bars extending upwardly and rearwardly of the forward end'of the channel bars and being secured by fastening devices 16 to the flat faces of the channel bars.

by thetop surfaces of the lifter bars, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

At the forward end of the machine combined shoe and spike holders designated generally at 20 are secured by means of fastening devices 21 to the outer member of each pair of channel bars.

portion of angular form having an upwardly inclined extension 22 at its forward end whereby the shoes lift the machine over the ties of the roadway. The side edge of the extension 22adjacent the rail is inclined and beveled, as designated at 28, and is adapted to engage the heads of such spikes as may be slightly disengaged from the base of the The combined shoe and spike holders each comprises a body The lifter bars rail so as to force them into position against the base of the rail to prevent their shearing ofi'.

Rail carriers designated generally at 25 are provld-ed at the rear of the machine and each includes a pair of parallel bars 26 secured at one end to the channel bars 11 and extending upwardly and rearwardly from the machine and supported at their outer ends by means of a truss rod 27 secured at one end, as at 28, to one of the cross bars 12 and at its other end, as at 29, to the rail carrier, a stanchion 30 supporting the truss rod intermediate its-ends and turn buckles 31 being provided for suitably tensioning the truss rod 27. a plurality of brackets 32 for maintaining the bars 26 thereof in spaced relation and at regular intervals there is provided'rollers 33 rotatably journaled in the bars 26 and upon these rollers the rails are supported as they are delivered to the carriers from the machine. A draw head is'connect'ed with the forward end of the machine by means of channel irons 36 orthe like, the draw head having an eye 37 or other suitably connecting means whereby itmay be coupled with.

spike removers and are adapted to receive the spikes when they drop from the rails after the extracting operatlon. g

In the use of the machine, it is placed upon thetrack to be. taken up and the lifter bars 15 havetheir forward beveled ends engaged beneath the heads of the rails. The machine is then coupled by means of the draw head 35 with its tractor and is drawn along the track. As it moves along the track the lifter bars 15 engage beneath the rail heads, and as these lifter bars are inclined upwardly and rearwardly they lift the rails upwardly from the track and extract .or draw the spikes out of the ties, the spikes being lifted up between the channel bars as shown to the right in Figure 4. The rails and spikes pass through the channel bars and the railsare delivered to the rail carrier 25 and the spikesito the spike receivers 40. In this manner the rails are removed from the tracks and the spikes are extracted in a single operation which is continuous and efiicient. Moreover, the rails are not distorted. since they are received upon the rail carrier 25 and supported thereon where.

by the metal of the rails is not subjected to .excessive strains although the resiliency of themetal thereof is brought into play during the action.

It is obvious that the machine may be constructed for use with any gauge of track or ,any weight of rail and will. efliciently pull spikes of any length. Again the machine is eiiicient on either straight tracks or curves. It requires little or no attention and carries out the operation of removing ,and lifting the rails and extracting the .tion the spikes are engaged by the beveled and inclined surfaces 23 of the. combined shoe and spike holder, whereby these spikes are held against the rails and prevented from shearing oil until they are received -.between the channel bars, at which time the channel bars take up the function of this inclined surface 23. The upwardly inclined extension 22 of? the shoe precludes against any interference of the for-ward motion of th emachine these shoes ride up, overobstructions and over the ties and thus facilitate the advance of the machine, the lower lateral flange of the channel bars affording slide surfaces or runners for carrying the I machine. I

It is obvious that roller bearings, caterpillar tread, or wheel bearings having a wide radius may be substituted as equivalent elements for the sliding channel irons. within the purview of the present invention; and similarly that the rail lifters might comprise rows of projections in lieu of the continuous bars or a grapple taking the form of a C with its open side disposed downwardly so asto, accommodate the web of the rail.

While we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, various changesin the minor details of construction may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims. v

We claim:

1. In a machine for removing rails and rear ofthe machine, rail carriers extending upwardly and rearwardly from the machine,

means for supporting said rail carriers, a

draw head, and channel irons connecting said draw head and said machine.

2. In a machine for removing rails and extracting spikes, pairs of channel irons, means for securing said channel irons in spaced. and parallel relation, inclined lifter bars carried by said channel irons and adapted to engage the rails to be lifted, rail carriers extending upwardly and rearwardly from said channel irons and each including spaced and parallel bars and rollers jour naled in said bars, and means for supportmg said rail carrier 1nclud1ng a truss rod and a stanchion supportlng'said truss rod.

3. In a machine for removing rails and extracting spikes, pairs of channel irons,

means for securing said channelirons in" spaced and parallel relation, inclined lifter bars carried by said channel irons and adapted to engage the rails to be lifted,jrail carriers extendingupwardly and rearwardly from saidchannel irons and each including spaced and parallel bars and rollers journaled in said bars. V i

4. In a machine of the character described, a pair of channel bars, inclined lifterbars carried by said channel bars, a railcarrier including a pair of longitudinal bars carried by the channel bars and having rollers for supporting the rails.

5. In a machine of the character described, a pair of channel bars, lifter bars carried by said channel. bars, and a rail carrier associated with said channel bars.

6.In a machine for removing rails and extracting spikes, channel bars, inclined lifter bars carried by said channel bars and engageable beneath the head of the rail to be removed whereby said rail is lifted upwardly from the roadbed when said channel bars are advanced, and said spikes are extracted and carried through said channel bars, and spike receivers arranged at the rear end of said channel bars.

7. In a machine for removing rails and extracting spikes, channel bars, inclined lifter bars carried by said channel bars and engageable beneath the head of the rail to be removed whereby said rail is lifted upwardly from the roadbed when said channel bars are advanced, and said spikes are 6X- tracted and carried through said channel bars.

8. In a machine for removing rails and extracting spikes, channel bars, inclined lifter bars carried by said channel bars and engageable beneath the head of the rail to be removed whereby said rail is lifted upwardly from the roadbed when said channel bars are advanced and said spikes are extracted and carried through said channel bars, and

a rail carrier for receiving the rails as they are removed.

9. In a machine of the character described, a pair of channel bars, lifter bars carried by said channel bars, a rail carrier carried by said channel bars, and a draw head associated with said channel bars and adapted to advance the machine.

10. In a machine of the character described, a pair of channel bars adapted to span the rail, and a pair of inclined lifter bars carried by the channel bars and engageable with the underside of the tread of the rail.

11. In a machine of the character described, a frame adapted to be advanced along a railway track, and a pair of inclined lifter devices carried by the frame and engageable with the under side of the tread of the rail whereby as the frame is advanced along the track the lifter devices will effect lifting of the rails and extracting of the spikes securing the same in position.

FRED RAMSAY MASON. THOMAS FITZPA'IRIOK. 

